Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-29
CITY AND DISTRICT.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Teachers 60 be Brevetted % Teach
Eighth Grades.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Teachers to be Brevetted % Teach
Eighth Grades.
NORMAL SCHOOL GRADUATES 10 BE ASSIGNED IN
ORDER OF Neutrality-suspicious. SETTLED BY THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES LAST NIGHT-cIvn SERVICE IN
THE SCHOOLS.
Several questions of Importance met the school
board last night. 1t was the meeting at which.
according to the usual routine, teachers were to
be nominated and assigned to schools for the
ensuing school year; but some OF the questions
arising demanded attention before such assign
ments could be made, 40 the board postponed
until next week the consideration OF the lists of
teachers.
Mr.. Ross brought up the problem OF how to pro-
vide for the new eighth-grade schools needed by
reading the opinion OF Attorney Riddle favoring
the idea Of 'breveting" seventh grade teachers to
teach eighth grades as the appropriation law for
babe the appointment Of additional eighth-g grade
teachers.
Mr.. Ross said that he had in the second division
Ill seventh-grade pupils ready to be transferred
to the eighth grade, more than could be taught by
the eightn-grade teachers allowing SO to each
MI. Curtis asked If they did not get over this
olmculty 0y the classification OF teachers made
Mr.. Ross said he did not exactly understand that
classihcatl0n. or that 1t had ever been formally
adopted. He did not believe Congress knew what
1t was doing when II placed this restriction IN the
appropriation act. He did not believe that Con-
gress knew that it was striking at the eighth
mede motion That Wherever additional eighth,
grade teachers may be required the local commit
tee be authorized to assign other competent teach
ers, at lower salaries, to such schools.
Mr.. DARLINGTON QUESTIONS MR.. RIDDLES OPINION.
Mr.. Darlington said that Mr.. Riddles opinion
did not seem to grapple with the legal aspect of
the question at all. He thought that to make
eighth-grade teachers OF sevenIh-grade teachers
would be violation Of the law, which declared
That there should be no additional eighth-grade
teachers appointed.
MIR. Curtis said to carry the matter out to its
logfca! conclusion the act declared that there
should be no additional eighth-grade schools eS-
tablished. Still he did not believe that such was
the intent OF Congress 1t was certainly not in
tended to give to favored few the benefit of the
e1ghth-grade training and deny It to others. He
0eneved Congress intended only to AFFECT the
financial part OF the matter, and so far as he was
the schools, to make some arrangement to estab-
lish the needed schools, keeping within the limit
OF the law as to the financial part.
Mr.. Fish said he would vote for giving the pupils
an education and take the chances that Congress
MI. Darlington said they ought not, he thought,
result which seemed to be imminent At
the time the bill was passed certain parties had
were crowding out the younger pupils In favor Of
the larger ones, and, in his opinion. Congress
intended to do what 1t had done.
Prot. Gregory was in favor Of establishing the
schools and then going to Congress
Mr. Ross motion was carried, MI. Darlington
only voting In the negative He said he so voted
not because he was not In sympathy with the
vote otherwise. ~ '0 - WV '' ~ o'' INV
Before its passage the motion was drafted in the
form OF AN order as follows: ''That local commit
tees are authorized to assign qualified teachers at
salaries less than 500 per annum to teach the
pupils who may be promoted from the seventh
grades In excess Of the capacities Of the eighth
grade schools"
THE NORMAL SCHOOL GRADUATES.
Another question confronting the board was
the disposition to be made Of the graduates of the
two Normal schools Mr. Ross made q motion
that the graduates be assigned to schools as
termined by their relative class standing in the
schools This proposal evoked much discussion
and some sasness opposition NJ poss
made the motion, remarked that heretofore there
has been regular scramble among the Normal
action would do away with all charges Of favor
itism. He thought it best that the young ladies
should realize that their appointments were won
by their own work and merits.
MI. Curtis frankly opposed the proposal, urging
as his main objection geographical considerations.
A young lady in the fifth division, he said. might
be required to go to q school In the eastern part
of the city. He did not favor appointments upon
competition. He did not believe any bank would
employ teller or cashier on competitive ex-
teachers was wrongly named, he said. when it was
called favortteism. It was the exercise OF sound
divfsion-West Washington.who had graduated
from the Normal School, and he felt bound to ap-
point them to the vacancies in his division.
MI. Fish said that civil service had been dragged
into him for three or four years, but he was not
entirely convert in all respects. He would al
ways appoint friend In preference to an enemy
"Here, too" said Mr. Curtis.
After considerable discussion, Mr. Ross motion
70
and the Miner Normal School, respectively, shall
be assigned to schools as teachers as vacancies
their relative class standing in said schools and
appointment Of teachers from certificate holders
shall be made In the order OF standing at exam1n-
NtiOnS."
In this form it was carried by vote OF s to 4.
Messrs. Curtis, Fish, Samson and Clark voting In
the negative.
MR.. POWELL RHAPPOINTKD.
A communication from the District Commits
sioners was read, enclosing the following order,
dated yesterday: ''That VIM. B. Powell Is hereby
appointed superintendent OF public schools OF
the District or Columbia for the period OF two
A resolution of1ered by Mr.. ROSS was adonted.
setting forth that the board OF school trustees
have heard with sincere pleasure the communica-
ton from the honorable Commissioners OF the Dis
trict OF Columbia, announcing the reappointment
OF SUPERINTENDENT Powell for a period OF two years
from July l, 1887"
CHANGE OF TExT-BooKa
The committee on textbooks, through MI. Fish
made the following report: "We recommend that
the proposal OF TaintOr Bros. & Co., of New York
city, OF May 2, 1887, to place the primer, second
and third readers in the schools be accepted and
that the Buffers new reading charts be placed on
the list OF reference books" There was no OppO-
sition to the report. and it was going through
without discussion when MI Ross member OF
the committee, remarked, In order to bring out an
explanation:
dMr. Fish, that is new book for an old one with.
out additional expense?"
EXACTLY" said Mr.. Fish.
The report was adopted.
oPPosEDsTo PAYING MORE RENT.
Mr.. johnson reported against the proposal to
rent the Miner School building for 81, 500 an in
crease OF $500 over the now paid for the rooms
in the building used by the public schools. He
that the lease of the building at
NJ O0 l,oa